PLANE SPOTTERS

THE detention of 12 British plane spotters in Greece developed into a modern-day Greek tragedy.

Ludicrous, outrageous, and farcical though the situation may be, it was also of the utmost seriousness.

The one significant factor in all of this is the lack of care, interest, or activity on the part of the United Kingdom Foreign Office.

Were the situation reversed, and 12 Greek tourists had been arrested and detained without trial in Britain, the leftist liberal elite would be having palpitations. Armies of civil rights lawyers, human rights organisations and, no doubt, the massed ranks of the race relations industry, would have been mobilised. Noises about police brutality and claims for compensation would no doubt be very prevalent in the coverage, as is the norm.

What has our Foreign Office done to secure the release of UK citizens being unfairly detained, harshly treated abroad, especially by a so-called European partner? The answer is precisely nothing. These 12 people have been kept in cold, unsanitary conditions.

It should be the function of government to protect our citizenship. Until the day arrives when we have a government that represents the British people, instead of minority interests, political correctness, and self-humiliation, sadly this case and others like it will prevail. - Dave Pascoe, Hartlepool.

WAR ON TERRORISM

AS America's hypocritical foreign policies administer justice through bombing and collusion in war crimes, how long will it be before the innocent of the Middle East seek vengeance against those whose foreign policies killed their friends and relatives? After all, let us not forget vengeance was a major factor behind the events of September 11. - HE Smith, Durham.

THE leading article (Echo, Dec 8) began: "Those who counselled against the military intervention in Aghanistan have been proved wrong."

Such counsel was never offered on the grounds that the US would be unable to overthrow the Taliban. It was a foregone conclusion that a poverty-stricken and ill-equipped regime would be easily defeated by the richest, most powerful and most technologically advanced nation on earth.

The objections were that the assault on Afghanistan would lead to the deaths of thousands more innocent men, women and children and would exacerbate the tensions between the West and the Arab/Muslim world, ultimately making further terrorist attacks more likely.

The first part of this prediction has been proved correct; with regard to the second, only time will tell.

The leader ends, somewhat inconsistently, with the words: "...armed response tends to encourage terrorism, not destroy it," and "...diplomacy and negotiation remain the most effective force to tackle the causes of terrorism." I could not agree more. - Pete Winstanley, Chester-le-Street.

SELDOM do terrorist or freedom fighters get the result they want. In Cyprus, after murdering many soldiers, Britain moved out and then Turkey moved in and took over half of an island which had an 80 per cent Greek population.

The whole island would have gone to Turkey but for the United Nations and, ironically, British troops formed a large part of the defence.

In Palestine, in 1948, there was jubilation as the British moved out. Did the terrorists there ever think that their children and grandchildren over 50 years on would still never see peace? Did those who killed themselves and thousands of others in New York in September think that the government of the country that supported them would be defeated and thrown out within weeks? Yet, they are still revered as martyrs by many countries.

Obviously, religion is at the core of the discontent. But how can Ireland be understood when Christian women and children are being killed by other Christians? How can Christian adults throw stones and bricks at Christian children going to a Christian school? There would be worldwide condemnation if it happened to Muslim children going to a mosque. The British army were not throwing stones, they were too busy protecting the children. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

PETE Winstanley's letter (HAS, Dec 6) in which he rightly criticises Peter Mullen for his warlike views, brings to mind a former correspondent who also wrote some very interesting letters, namely Rev John Stephenson of Hetton-le-Hole.

John has remained silent for many years, but what a contrast between the two vicars.

Peter Mullen appears to have a lust for blood, whereas John Stephenson is a true 'defender of the faith'.

For a moment recently, I thought that John Stephenson was about to make a comeback. I for one would prefer to hear his views rather than the rantings of Peter Mullen. - Jason Scott, Easington, Peterlee.

I JUST cannot believe what your two regular scribes Hugh Pender and Pete Winstanley expect America to do after what happened in New York.

I do not agree with our Prime Minister on his politics but I admire his stance with America against Osama bin Laden and his despicable Taliban cruelties throughout the world.

I only wish he would do the same with his obsession to destroy our country in Europe. He has destroyed Great Britain, let him save England and the pound before it is almost too late and he has forged his obsession to be President of Europe. - FW Wealand, Darlington.